“This Rosh Hashanah again feels different in our house. For the past four years, my younger son has been studying in the United States, so every Rosh Hashanah came with a little ache. There was always an empty chair at the table. This year, he is home.

But family life refuses to stand still. Just as one child returns, another prepares to leave. My older son will shortly be heading to Europe to begin his master’s degree. So once again, there will be an empty chair at our Rosh Hashanah table.”